tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71274619558431054212024-03-21T11:44:57.269-07:00yike.nick post-china.nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-69075256608251010532009-05-05T10:04:00.001-07:002009-05-05T10:05:21.105-07:00i movedi don't know if i told you, but i started a new blog. everything is now kept at:<br /><br />www.npwester.blogspot.com<br /><br />got tired of explaining the name. <br /><br />hope everyone is well.<br /><br />nicknick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-47135105864033831992008-12-27T12:44:00.001-08:002008-12-27T12:47:58.795-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztg5chO8A2X-I9xCvwwhhXl5Ji53gdUH6kxTJnx2IMASbYb9QLDe0-YcRQO2oacgIGvWDrzED7lCraQWqcKiMS5d6jZY6vtEKnBhVRV5kbE3GlI4eOknK4OrDei95c3RXMYA1JAH40LOd/s1600-h/Photo+45.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztg5chO8A2X-I9xCvwwhhXl5Ji53gdUH6kxTJnx2IMASbYb9QLDe0-YcRQO2oacgIGvWDrzED7lCraQWqcKiMS5d6jZY6vtEKnBhVRV5kbE3GlI4eOknK4OrDei95c3RXMYA1JAH40LOd/s320/Photo+45.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284574343507353090" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><div><br /></div></div>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-8247664683947366412008-12-25T10:51:00.001-08:002008-12-25T10:55:25.460-08:00MERRY CHRISTMAS<div><br /></div><div>Here<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4jEuUSSJ4E"> is your gift.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>The funniest thing I've seen in a long long time.</div>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-76311165636636212002008-11-20T22:50:00.001-08:002008-11-20T22:50:52.579-08:00wef<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3_95F5e-Ac&feature=channel">FUNNY AS</a>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-67998466368429353282008-11-19T16:41:00.001-08:002008-11-19T16:43:00.548-08:00important stuff<a href="http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en-us&resnum=0&q=markowitz&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#q=wade%20jacoby&hl=en&emb=0">islam and europe and immigration </a><div><br /></div><div>from Prof. Jacoby who is a good friend.</div>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-72693275178749270192008-11-18T00:06:00.000-08:002008-11-18T00:11:04.600-08:00creative<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7R1m080W41RrNUSKzS72h-QvzBk6e_lRQG0W9wPeRq2hJjejUUwzjbUGCZHb7voiZqPRFOCwJL6-FJVJgykhX0CY4P0L_ZOWVE5yQeIrGbOTUuMLJAfU0CEVe-8M_GVBcz8cLQcUIJoDC/s1600-h/Frohat.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7R1m080W41RrNUSKzS72h-QvzBk6e_lRQG0W9wPeRq2hJjejUUwzjbUGCZHb7voiZqPRFOCwJL6-FJVJgykhX0CY4P0L_ZOWVE5yQeIrGbOTUuMLJAfU0CEVe-8M_GVBcz8cLQcUIJoDC/s320/Frohat.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269906361448544930" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNJLZ1fvogC4L28K9hWTQFFYygvifUXi1yy7gDSCkuiISZYkBvAMWW9UXlMQoH8bOMvGcstWXAiGamfJQhoHzQNX3RskfsCC7faYY0rccphShlDCteQk6X9CaIzaaEypovJ8jMoKXs-Pb/s1600-h/Frohat.jpg"><br /></a>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-62800442742242417282008-11-17T08:18:00.000-08:002008-11-17T08:33:12.212-08:00cornel west<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5yL9p5J3VbAYobQknLcI9-eRnOzZ4NExb4o_RHiVNL5kE5azLu4uT5OSfmAnaNziuqnxiTlZfLkDa0k6fcZufj5_r7eRxgzdU7uQOrCkqpWxbjQMU6tEg2ENglmdyRVXYOHv6Ft5gcR0/s1600-h/rothko031.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5yL9p5J3VbAYobQknLcI9-eRnOzZ4NExb4o_RHiVNL5kE5azLu4uT5OSfmAnaNziuqnxiTlZfLkDa0k6fcZufj5_r7eRxgzdU7uQOrCkqpWxbjQMU6tEg2ENglmdyRVXYOHv6Ft5gcR0/s320/rothko031.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269665265685322690" /></a><br />This is a good <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7708329.stm">wakeup call</a>. <div><br /></div><div>Off to school today. Seems like loads of work. </div><div><br /></div><div>Too much sometimes but its good to let yourself stretch.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Big Reach is going well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Go to www.thebigreach.org. Its getting huger. And the fun is just starting right now.</div><div><br /></div><div>Keep going to the website and check your inbox. </div><div><br /></div><div>That is a Rothko painting up top. Check him out if you dont know him.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-63755301192779608612008-11-15T01:26:00.000-08:002008-11-15T01:38:05.242-08:00new leafs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbeIm2RCUneZ_ZZDW9gtaTTqdhP06iONbbrWGpZ0ZvjRHYH2tIdYyzZu2f-jDdke17VBJ_KvjpLovZ9MVH8LPqeqoS0TplY9eNkm-pLmnB08-KPvC75AwXg3h3bFB7lgF5PE6od1-9hya/s1600-h/Photo+11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbeIm2RCUneZ_ZZDW9gtaTTqdhP06iONbbrWGpZ0ZvjRHYH2tIdYyzZu2f-jDdke17VBJ_KvjpLovZ9MVH8LPqeqoS0TplY9eNkm-pLmnB08-KPvC75AwXg3h3bFB7lgF5PE6od1-9hya/s320/Photo+11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268816169501295458" /></a><br />I'm going to get going on this blog now. And write about what's going on in me life. <br /><div><br /></div><div>I'm studying political science.</div><div>I'm working with China still.</div><div>I'm starting to get cold here in Utah.</div><div>I'm reading a great compilation of Ernest Hemingway short stories right now.</div><div>I'm starting to like Guitar Hero.</div><div>Listening to alot of Fleet Foxes, a great band if you haven't heard about it.</div><div>I'm growing a mustache. </div><div>I'm eating either burritos or pasta everyday for dinner.</div><div>I'm studying the Communist Manifesto right now in class, and find it very right but wrong.</div><div>I got a Macbook and am amazingly poor now.</div><div>I'm going to bed now.</div>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-85068194757890810492008-11-05T06:58:00.000-08:002008-11-05T07:11:25.385-08:00wow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnOKGzjpby_y2oDWt6PH1H2c-cg673pbCKCSdD3fS56K56idJ2rqB4OoLsuKdhByUDVwrvImsVzYtyGR3dQZw5MLLsv4uebymvoTkVdLUsM-Xxa_g-fweg66oczESa1pwLcT2rXsNBb-4/s1600-h/obamaunc.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnOKGzjpby_y2oDWt6PH1H2c-cg673pbCKCSdD3fS56K56idJ2rqB4OoLsuKdhByUDVwrvImsVzYtyGR3dQZw5MLLsv4uebymvoTkVdLUsM-Xxa_g-fweg66oczESa1pwLcT2rXsNBb-4/s320/obamaunc.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265191174748189890" /></a><br />what a historic morning. <div>now we get to see what obama is made of and if he can pull a come from behind victory. He's been given a mess and now we all have to find out how to clean it up.</div><div><br /></div><div>But at least he plays ball with UNC. that's impressive.</div>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-51311605467930578812008-10-28T09:20:00.000-07:002008-10-28T09:23:24.793-07:00i like thisnick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-21932549071595250752008-10-14T09:15:00.000-07:002008-10-14T09:16:57.765-07:00obama as a Muslim<a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/13/campbell.brown.obama/index.html?iref=mpstoryview">Sometimes the obvious needs to be said.</a><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/13/campbell.brown.obama/index.html?iref=mpstoryview">http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/13/campbell.brown.obama/index.html?iref=mpstoryview</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-42811891257062620802008-09-09T23:16:00.001-07:002008-09-09T23:17:57.489-07:00hilarious<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgs4TGt5iE6WZdIMB4ZbIooheqMJvHspQ2KhyphenhyphenXSNfI16BxG5nYK-cgHMn3Pn56viWO-ZLfJxaPfzyyBLn9cZlPN-cVLT5awcZx5_3_k0LqrB1Fwlu81EZyX2s2Z-evaci01dnHd5AmbbW/s1600-h/ArrestedPhotostrip5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgs4TGt5iE6WZdIMB4ZbIooheqMJvHspQ2KhyphenhyphenXSNfI16BxG5nYK-cgHMn3Pn56viWO-ZLfJxaPfzyyBLn9cZlPN-cVLT5awcZx5_3_k0LqrB1Fwlu81EZyX2s2Z-evaci01dnHd5AmbbW/s320/ArrestedPhotostrip5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244273069379687906" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.photobooth.net/mt/archives/2005/09/05/ArrestedPhotostrip5.jpg">http://www.photobooth.net/mt/archives/2005/09/05/ArrestedPhotostrip5.jpg</a>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-88305608219501930192008-09-09T23:09:00.001-07:002008-09-09T23:09:46.432-07:00<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/2713430/Gordon-Brown-triggers-row-with-John-McCain-by-backing-Barack-Obama.html">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/2713430/Gordon-Brown-triggers-row-with-John-McCain-by-backing-Barack-Obama.html</a><div><br /></div><div>awesome. creating fusion across the ocean. </div>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-19444824919155423692008-08-28T21:01:00.001-07:002008-10-02T21:25:17.923-07:00my case for obama.nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-10682860454392260832008-07-23T14:48:00.000-07:002008-07-23T14:55:32.396-07:00from paulo coelho's book, "by the river Peidra i sat down and wept"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI5inZrxo26AT_B7-_OiTtJnckhFwgQVT8GcPUK3wRYH7Zm8gOsDBzO2dBY69CPHynu7Sc-j4bGQZaNtv0aMmTfgdMGvFennRS2AUG4D3yZOvp8jpvXrEdVwGBfG9_jcgTt_bE6ShpAeg/s1600-h/CIMG1876.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226330786564933026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI5inZrxo26AT_B7-_OiTtJnckhFwgQVT8GcPUK3wRYH7Zm8gOsDBzO2dBY69CPHynu7Sc-j4bGQZaNtv0aMmTfgdMGvFennRS2AUG4D3yZOvp8jpvXrEdVwGBfG9_jcgTt_bE6ShpAeg/s320/CIMG1876.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Man runs into an old friend who had somehow never been able to make it in life. "I should give him some money," he thinks. But instead he learns that his old friend has grown rich and is actually seeking him out to repay the debts run up over the years.<br /><br />They go to a bar they used to frequent together, and the friend buys drinks for everyone there. When they ask him how he became so successful, he answers that until only a few days ago, he had been living the role of the "Other".<br /><br />"What is the Other?" they ask.<br /><br />"The Other is the one who taught me what I should be like, but not what I am. The Other believes that it is our obligation to spend our entire life thinking about how to get our hands on as much money as possible so that we will not die of hunger when we are old. So we think so much about money and our plans for acquiring it that we discover we are alive only when our days on earth are practically done. And then it's too late."<br /><br />"And you? Who are you?"<br /><br />"I am just like everyone else who listens to their heart: a person who is enchanted by the mystery of life. Who is open to miracles, who experiences joy and enthusiasm for what they do. It's just that the Other, afraid of disappointment, kept me from taking action."<br /><br />"But there is suffering in life," one of the listeners said.<br /><br />"And there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it's better to lose some of the battles in the struggle for your dreams than to be defeated without ever even knowing what you're fighting for."<br /><br />"That's it?" another listener asked.<br />"Yes that's it. When I learned this, I resolved to become the person I had always wanted to be. The Other stood there in the corner of my room, watching me, but I will never let the Other into myself again-- even though it has already tried to frighten me, warning me that it's risky not to think about the future.<br /><br />"From the moment that I ousted the Other from my life, the Divine Energy began to perform its miracles."</div>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-20127863407755003932008-07-09T17:38:00.000-07:002008-07-09T17:59:46.280-07:00in taiwan<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUPO9LC_KhNXzCiOn-rTZ4-Z_jCclhvb2LN4thaZ1TlUhizo1Wzy_6LjleywRD43y3VMJ3M-xEq_5iTJ_o8lpEA68-BtXypcCgUMIIgaLp_e5Z-6scnbOUDDSDYAc0ygkqX2_mNJcXF5x/s1600-h/CIMG1901.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221183508293191650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUPO9LC_KhNXzCiOn-rTZ4-Z_jCclhvb2LN4thaZ1TlUhizo1Wzy_6LjleywRD43y3VMJ3M-xEq_5iTJ_o8lpEA68-BtXypcCgUMIIgaLp_e5Z-6scnbOUDDSDYAc0ygkqX2_mNJcXF5x/s320/CIMG1901.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>this is part of a modern art exhibit in taichung at the museum next to mr. zhangs house. its a bunch of water jugs with orange lights inside. looks amazing at night.</div><div> </div><div>the weather here is nice now. as opposed to the hot and humid summer, the few days i've been in taiwan have been rainy, which is nice and cool. but the sun is peaking out through the curtains here, so i'm guessing it may warm up today. amoung the first things i did here was to eat some of my favorite taiwanese foods. had a mango shave ice, fried chicken with msg seasoning, beef noodles, seaweed rolls, melon tea with milk and papaya milk. Not all at the same time, of course, but over a day. i'm hoping to get to my old stomping ground, the hot dog place today. its good and i'm friends with the owner. i bought my friend bekah some blueberry gum, rachel a pen case, and myself some prayer flags. found a store yesterday during and after dinner stroll that sells all tibetan stuff. i'm going to go back today to check it out. work has been going ok. i've been assigned the project of helping to sell some exotic cars from brunei. pretty stoked on that. we'll see if it works out as well as i hope it does. if anyone wants a bently, let me know. flight home tonight leaves around 8. should be back in the us around 4 in the afternoon. I get 4 hours of my life back. that's always a good feeling. hope to see you at home soon.</div>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-16831299501105987592008-07-05T18:34:00.000-07:002008-07-05T18:46:54.867-07:00taiwaningI'm in Taiwan now. Got here last night and it was a blast. Luckily, i flew on the flight that my friends wife was stewardessing on. SOOO i got to sit in first class on the top level of a 747. That's always been my dream. And it was so cool because i actually slept on an airplane. That's something that hasn't happend to me in about 23 years and it made me happy. I don't know if i'd ever pay for that seat myself, but for what it cost me, it was worth it. I also was given a VIP gift basket from the airline. That includes 2 bottles of wine. If you'd like one, let meknow. Maybe i can use them to cook.<br /><br />I also read about half way through my newest Paulo Coelho book, the Pilramage. Like all his other books, its just blowing my mind away. I can't say enough about him or his ability to say profound things that leave me amazed witht the virtual simplicity of everything.<br /><br />read his books if you haven't.<br /><br />Taiwan is hot and sticky. Wearing business attire doesn't help that much. I'm heading to HK right now. There we've got some really good meetings set up. All these chinese guys want there money invested elsewhere. Hope i can help them. <br /><br />I feel like i'm on the cusp of the rest of my life. Fearing that would be a terribly dibilitating thing to do. So I just think about what I want to happen and work to make that happen. My optimism has turned out well so far. I hope that streak continues!!nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-58515289908271588472008-06-24T08:17:00.000-07:002008-06-24T10:48:03.740-07:00softball.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPncDBh51H6as6FkWFY6QHRfA7XbPRIEfV-YCVbpIYkLcgtbtH5OTnyF7bH9bctksoAK-Y-mq1zsiN8v0IF1HdOLUfGP_1U5u7HDtl4B4iJ1DHH-mqhoW74gmrZPLRfpXaHZ4WhKzc_Fi7/s1600-h/CIMG1079.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215476682622921602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPncDBh51H6as6FkWFY6QHRfA7XbPRIEfV-YCVbpIYkLcgtbtH5OTnyF7bH9bctksoAK-Y-mq1zsiN8v0IF1HdOLUfGP_1U5u7HDtl4B4iJ1DHH-mqhoW74gmrZPLRfpXaHZ4WhKzc_Fi7/s320/CIMG1079.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div><div>So listening to Bob Marley as I woke up this morning I couldn't believe the apostlic nature of some of his lyrics. Here you go.</div><br /><div>You running and running and youre running away, but you can't run away from yourself. You must have done something wrong. Why can't you find the place you belong.</div><br /><div>Pretty much describes what i have felt like for the last 1.5 years of my life. Got scared of growing up and a huge word that starts with M, so i went to Maui last summer. Then i did the same thing from pressures of school to China for a few months. I think i have nothing to run away from anymore. I've feel like i know what's important and not important now. And I've learned to distinguish the two, and seen people running away from both things.<br /></div><div>In China I met a guy that was about 28 from Wales. He passed while we were hiking on the mountain. He was a photographer and had been traveling for 5 years by himself taking pictures all over the world. He was running away from what life had told him he needed. He said that he had few social contacts and mostly met people around in his travels. He had his life on his back and he was running away from his fear of becoming something that he thought everyone else was, normal. His run had left him with stories and a full passport, but running on emotional fumes at 28.</div><br /><div>Doing that, isn't in my game plan. So now, back to school to study what interests me. Headed to Asia soon to work on work. Life is a balance, and each persons scale is different, but when we find that medium, we're where we need to be.</div></div>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-73079573841852105402008-06-22T20:28:00.000-07:002008-06-22T20:29:03.288-07:00great and scary question.<a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=-t-5PLQgcSA">http://youtube.com/watch?v=-t-5PLQgcSA</a>nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-68513339449202033952008-06-20T23:41:00.001-07:002008-06-20T23:51:25.957-07:00malaria anyone?still working with lots of smart and amazing people to piece together this malaria thing. look forward to it.nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-64155667281385420302008-06-13T08:19:00.000-07:002008-06-13T08:28:13.239-07:00child labor.<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV1hQSt2hSE">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV1hQSt2hSE</a><br /><br />watch this. i've seen this stuff with my own eyes. in the town i lived in there were children who were trafficked in to work at restaruants. They works 27 days a month, 12 hours a day for about $40 a month. Their parents couldn't take care of them and they were forced to work a couple thousand miles from home. Some hadn't seen their families in over 5 years. <br /><br />I became friends with them because it was a good restaraunt. We'd go out and play computer games at night, they loved beating me at CS. There were about 25 of them at the place, all under the age of 18 as far as i knew.<br /><br />I knew the scene was repeated elsewhere. I saw it in furniture factories with kids working in there who couldn't be more than 13 or 14. <br /><br />Just be aware of what this stuff is. I don't know what we can do to stop it. The world has loads of problems right now and i don't think this is going to be at the forefront for a long time.<br /><br />kudos to radiohead for doing such a cool video.nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-61721560720035946812008-06-12T19:37:00.000-07:002008-06-12T19:46:43.046-07:00back nowi'm back from china. have been for a week or so now. its been an interesting time being back. loads of time to reflect on the things i've seen and the experiences that i've had. the last month i spent traveling about with two close friends. we really enjoyed each others company and it was fun to have people to experience those things with. i think that i'll keep the name of this blog, even though i'm not in china.<br /><br />i'm not really sure what i'm doing next. there is opportunity for me to have a pretty cool experience doing some international business. at first i was worried about the next few years of life, but i got over that in a few days. life will work out, has for 23 years for me, don't know why it would stop tomorrow.nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-24979780520526324492008-04-22T09:22:00.000-07:002008-04-22T09:23:52.555-07:00today's inspirationYou have brains in your head.<br />You have feet in your shoes.<br />You can steer yourselfany direction you choose.<br />You're on your own.<br />And you know what you know.<br />And you are the guywho'll decide where to go.<br /><br />-Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seussnick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-36706687281141048582008-04-06T08:11:00.001-07:002008-04-06T08:47:42.565-07:00latelybeen super busy.<br />this weekend went to zhongshan to visit the girls there. They are always super fun to hang out with. After that, jeff and i took off to HK early in the morning. 4 hours of buses and subs later, we arrived at the HK temple and rushed into the meeting. We after went to a mall and walked around looking for mexican food. That was false. No mexican food was nowhere to be found. We hit the regular fallback in unfamiliar and expensive territories, Mcdonalds. A spicy chicken sandwhich later, we walked around and looked at cool stores. We went to a crowded street market full of fake rolexs and gucci glases. Most people i've ever seen. Super uncomfortable. Lots of nasty travelers there. Funny to see cultures mix and the way that the chinese interact with foreigners. They know exactly what to say. Then we came back and got a hotel by church in GZ. I lost my wallet in a taxi along the way. Little bummed about that but its pretty much spilt milk. Only had 150rmb in it, like 20usd. canceling all my cards soon. so it will be ok. life is too good to worry about little things like that. but it did point out something that i've always been terrible at, losing things. i've got enough money to hold me over for a few months here, so no worries about that.<br /><br />Project sprouts is getting bigger and bigger. I guess if you wanted to say, you could say that it has sprouted. Some high rollers at church are going to lay out alot of money. woop. Everyone wants to help these kiddies but doesn't know how. Sprouts is going to be good way to funnel that desire. I don't know how many, and i really don't care about numbers, desks will be collected, but that we do something when we can and should do something is more important to me. It's not going to start here, so why start counting at all. We know where we need to be eventually, and whether that is now or later is the only question.<br /><br />Its been funny to see my blind and sometime naive optimism pitted against the pecimism of many of sprouts' supporters. They try to get me to see all the negative and i try to tell them to forget it and be excited. So far i think its a tied game.nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127461955843105421.post-19111139530693282272008-03-23T07:02:00.000-07:002008-03-23T07:21:50.436-07:00vivahappy easter. not much happen except an awesome time with awesome new friends. I spent 250rmb this weekend. thats about 30 bucks. pretty disappointed in myself. i live too gluttonously on the weekends. but thats the only time that i can, so why not. This weeks food intake is as follows (as best as I can remember).<br /><br />2 ikea hotdogs.<br />2 large pizza hut pep pizzas<br />2 mango milks<br />1 coke<br />1 cheese and ham sandwhich<br />1 beef and brock<br />1 fried rice<br />1 grapefruit juice<br />1 mcds icecream sundae<br />1 ikea ice cream<br /><br />wow. i feel sick looking at that. its gross. all of the sudden, chinese food sounds super good. Tonight I ate with the Xie family. They own a corner store next to my house. THey are awesome. they teach me to cook the veggies and then we eat together. if you seen pictures as of late, they are Sprout's parents. Good people. Tonight we had chicken parts, beef and cabbage. it was awesome to just sit down with a random person and talk for a few hours. he's got some really cool things going on in life. life is so simple for him. family, the store, and friends. that's all he worries about. its great.nick p westerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13026673559152145892noreply@blogger.com0